All plants, animals, food, etc. mentioned in The Hobbit
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- Haeropada
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All plants, animals, food, etc. mentioned in The Hobbit
I've just reread "The Hobbit," highlighting every mention of plants, animals, food and drink, etc.
Words in brackets are implied. For example, Tolkien wrote of 'vinyards' and 'wine' but never explicitly mentioned 'grapes.'
For some things, he mentions only a specific, such as the 'yellow rockrose.' Apparently, there are other kinds of rockrose, so I list it Rockrose (yellow).
For others, he mentions more than one type, such as 'wild cat' and 'tom-cat.' For those, I list Cat (tom; wild).
For yet other items, the thing itself is mentioned, as well as varieties, such as eggs, fried eggs and poached eggs. I list this as Eggs: (fried; poached).
PLANTS:
Bushes & Vines: [Grape]-vinyards; Heather; Ivy; Rockrose (yellow);
[Cultivated]: Coffee; Tea; Tobacco
Flowers: Daisy; Laburnum; Lily; Snapdragon; Woodland Flowers
Grass: Hay; Reeds; Rushes; Straw; [seeds for seed-cake]; [grain for bread]
Herbs: Marjoram; Sage; Sorrel; Thyme
[Misc]: Bracken; Clover: (cockscomb; purple); Fern; Fungus; Lichen; Mould; Moss
Trees: Alder; Ash; Beech; Chestnut; Elm; Fir; Hawthorn; Larch; Oak: (cork); Pine; Thorn; Willow; Yew
BEASTS:
[Invertebrates]:
Insects: Bee; Butterfly: (black emperor; purple emperor); Fly; Hornet; Locust; Moth: (black; dark grey)
[Misc]: Snail; Spider; Worm
Fish: Fish (blind)
[Reptile]: Lizard; Snake
Birds: Booby; Carrion Birds; Crow; Eagle; Finches; Owl (barn; screech); Raven; Starling; Stork; Thrush
[Mammals]: Bat: (huge black); Bear: (black); Cat: (tom; wild); Cow: (kine); Deer: (red; white)- Fawn, Goat; Hart, Hind; Dog; Donkey; Elephant; Hare; Horse; Mouse; Ox; Pony; Rabbit; Rat; Seal; Sheep [Ram]; Squirrel: (black); Weasel; Wolf
FOOD:
Baked [Goods]: Bannock; Biscuit; Bread; Cake: (twice-baked); Cram; Flour; Pie (mince); Pie (pork); Seed-cake; Scone (buttered); Tart (apple); Toast;
Drink: Ale; Beer; Coffee; Mead; Milk; Porter; Tea; Water; Wine (Dorwinion; red)
[Dairy]: Milk; Butter; Cheese; Cream: (clotted);
Fruit, Nuts, Berries, Etc.: Apple; Blackberry; Hawthorn berry; Raspberry; Strawberry (wild);
Jam (raspberry); Jelly
Nuts; Acorn; Chestnut
Honey
Meat: Fat; Meat (roast); Chicken: Eggs: (fried; poached); Cow: [Beef]; Deer: [Venison]; Goat; Hare; Ox; [Pig]: (Bacon, Pork, Ham); Rabbit; Sheep: (Mutton); Squirrel
Vegetables: Salad; Pickles [Cucumber]
BEINGS: Dragon; Elf (Deep; High; Light; Sea; Wood); Giant: (stone); Goblin (Orc); Hobbit; Men; Ogre; Troll; Vampire; Warg
Words in brackets are implied. For example, Tolkien wrote of 'vinyards' and 'wine' but never explicitly mentioned 'grapes.'
For some things, he mentions only a specific, such as the 'yellow rockrose.' Apparently, there are other kinds of rockrose, so I list it Rockrose (yellow).
For others, he mentions more than one type, such as 'wild cat' and 'tom-cat.' For those, I list Cat (tom; wild).
For yet other items, the thing itself is mentioned, as well as varieties, such as eggs, fried eggs and poached eggs. I list this as Eggs: (fried; poached).
PLANTS:
Bushes & Vines: [Grape]-vinyards; Heather; Ivy; Rockrose (yellow);
[Cultivated]: Coffee; Tea; Tobacco
Flowers: Daisy; Laburnum; Lily; Snapdragon; Woodland Flowers
Grass: Hay; Reeds; Rushes; Straw; [seeds for seed-cake]; [grain for bread]
Herbs: Marjoram; Sage; Sorrel; Thyme
[Misc]: Bracken; Clover: (cockscomb; purple); Fern; Fungus; Lichen; Mould; Moss
Trees: Alder; Ash; Beech; Chestnut; Elm; Fir; Hawthorn; Larch; Oak: (cork); Pine; Thorn; Willow; Yew
BEASTS:
[Invertebrates]:
Insects: Bee; Butterfly: (black emperor; purple emperor); Fly; Hornet; Locust; Moth: (black; dark grey)
[Misc]: Snail; Spider; Worm
Fish: Fish (blind)
[Reptile]: Lizard; Snake
Birds: Booby; Carrion Birds; Crow; Eagle; Finches; Owl (barn; screech); Raven; Starling; Stork; Thrush
[Mammals]: Bat: (huge black); Bear: (black); Cat: (tom; wild); Cow: (kine); Deer: (red; white)- Fawn, Goat; Hart, Hind; Dog; Donkey; Elephant; Hare; Horse; Mouse; Ox; Pony; Rabbit; Rat; Seal; Sheep [Ram]; Squirrel: (black); Weasel; Wolf
FOOD:
Baked [Goods]: Bannock; Biscuit; Bread; Cake: (twice-baked); Cram; Flour; Pie (mince); Pie (pork); Seed-cake; Scone (buttered); Tart (apple); Toast;
Drink: Ale; Beer; Coffee; Mead; Milk; Porter; Tea; Water; Wine (Dorwinion; red)
[Dairy]: Milk; Butter; Cheese; Cream: (clotted);
Fruit, Nuts, Berries, Etc.: Apple; Blackberry; Hawthorn berry; Raspberry; Strawberry (wild);
Jam (raspberry); Jelly
Nuts; Acorn; Chestnut
Honey
Meat: Fat; Meat (roast); Chicken: Eggs: (fried; poached); Cow: [Beef]; Deer: [Venison]; Goat; Hare; Ox; [Pig]: (Bacon, Pork, Ham); Rabbit; Sheep: (Mutton); Squirrel
Vegetables: Salad; Pickles [Cucumber]
BEINGS: Dragon; Elf (Deep; High; Light; Sea; Wood); Giant: (stone); Goblin (Orc); Hobbit; Men; Ogre; Troll; Vampire; Warg
Last edited by Straelbora on Fri Jan 23, 2015 8:13 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Vápnum sÃnum skala maðr velli á
feti ganga framar þvà at óvist er at vita
nær verðr á vegum úti geirs um þörf guma
Hávamál
feti ganga framar þvà at óvist er at vita
nær verðr á vegum úti geirs um þörf guma
Hávamál
- Greg
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Re: All plants, animals, food, etc. mentioned in The Hobbit
Busy man.
Now the sword shall come from under the cloak.
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- Haeropada
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Re: All plants, animals, food, etc. mentioned in The Hobbit
20 -30 minutes before bed every night.Greg wrote:Busy man.
Now I'm thinking of taking on "The Lord of the Rings," adding to this list.
Vápnum sÃnum skala maðr velli á
feti ganga framar þvà at óvist er at vita
nær verðr á vegum úti geirs um þörf guma
Hávamál
feti ganga framar þvà at óvist er at vita
nær verðr á vegum úti geirs um þörf guma
Hávamál
Re: All plants, animals, food, etc. mentioned in The Hobbit
Most excellent and comprehensive work, sir!
Just a head's up (I'm sure it's in your notes but somehow didn't make it into this post): the herb thyme is in the Chapter 6 passage that describes vegetation just outside of Goblin-gate (p 97 in my paperback).
Just a head's up (I'm sure it's in your notes but somehow didn't make it into this post): the herb thyme is in the Chapter 6 passage that describes vegetation just outside of Goblin-gate (p 97 in my paperback).
Personae: Aistan son of Ansteig, common Beorning of Wilderland; Tungo Brandybuck, Eastfarthing Bounder, 3018 TA; a native Man of the Greyflood, c.850 SA
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- Haeropada
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Re: All plants, animals, food, etc. mentioned in The Hobbit
P. 101 in my version, but in reviewing my highlights, I see that I also missed "goat" on this list.Udwin wrote:Most excellent and comprehensive work, sir!
Just a head's up (I'm sure it's in your notes but somehow didn't make it into this post): the herb thyme is in the Chapter 6 passage that describes vegetation just outside of Goblin-gate (p 97 in my paperback).
I've edited the above to include both 'thyme' and 'goat.'
Vápnum sÃnum skala maðr velli á
feti ganga framar þvà at óvist er at vita
nær verðr á vegum úti geirs um þörf guma
Hávamál
feti ganga framar þvà at óvist er at vita
nær verðr á vegum úti geirs um þörf guma
Hávamál
- wulfgar
- Amrod Rhandir
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Re: All plants, animals, food, etc. mentioned in The Hobbit
Great list, although pickles don't neccesarily mean cucumbers. People used to pickle anything and everything. Here in the south you can find pickled okra, asparagus, watermelon rind, green tomatoes, onions, and more. I have made and eaten pickled beef at reenactments before.
You can't take the sky from me.
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Re: All plants, animals, food, etc. mentioned in The Hobbit
True, but when you say you'd like some pickles, people bring pickled cucumbers. According to internet sources, cucumbers are implied for Americans and Canadians, and in the UK, it often references a chutney, but that's post-1922, so I'm guessing Edwardian/Victorian and prior Brits meant pickled cucumbers when they said 'pickles.'wulfgar wrote:Great list, although pickles don't neccesarily mean cucumbers. People used to pickle anything and everything. Here in the south you can find pickled okra, asparagus, watermelon rind, green tomatoes, onions, and more. I have made and eaten pickled beef at reenactments before.
Vápnum sÃnum skala maðr velli á
feti ganga framar þvà at óvist er at vita
nær verðr á vegum úti geirs um þörf guma
Hávamál
feti ganga framar þvà at óvist er at vita
nær verðr á vegum úti geirs um þörf guma
Hávamál
- Greg
- Urush bithî 'nKi ya-nam bawâb
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- Location: Eriador; Central Indiana
Re: All plants, animals, food, etc. mentioned in The Hobbit
And to think that my wife JUST suggested that I carry some thyme!Udwin wrote:Most excellent and comprehensive work, sir!
Just a head's up (I'm sure it's in your notes but somehow didn't make it into this post): the herb thyme is in the Chapter 6 passage that describes vegetation just outside of Goblin-gate (p 97 in my paperback).
Now the sword shall come from under the cloak.
- Kortoso
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Re: All plants, animals, food, etc. mentioned in The Hobbit
I want to devise a article on tracking animals of Middle Earth. Hopefully I can incorporate this information.
Basically there will be an overlay of traditional beasts of Europe, with Tolkien's mythical creatures and races added.
Basically there will be an overlay of traditional beasts of Europe, with Tolkien's mythical creatures and races added.
There are no safe paths in this part of the world. Remember you are over the Edge of the Wild now, and in for all sorts of fun wherever you go.
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- Haeropada
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- Joined: Mon Feb 11, 2013 7:00 pm
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Re: All plants, animals, food, etc. mentioned in The Hobbit
Cool project.Kortoso wrote:I want to devise a article on tracking animals of Middle Earth. Hopefully I can incorporate this information.
Basically there will be an overlay of traditional beasts of Europe, with Tolkien's mythical creatures and races added.
Vápnum sÃnum skala maðr velli á
feti ganga framar þvà at óvist er at vita
nær verðr á vegum úti geirs um þörf guma
Hávamál
feti ganga framar þvà at óvist er at vita
nær verðr á vegum úti geirs um þörf guma
Hávamál
-
- Haeropada
- Posts: 937
- Joined: Mon Feb 11, 2013 7:00 pm
- Location: Indianapolis, IN USA
Re: All plants, animals, food, etc. mentioned in The Hobbit
Just received "The Flora of Middle-earth," which Amazon took so long to fulfill (I ordered it last October) that I forgot that I had ordered it.
Our work here is done- a botanist has done an exhaustive review of all the plants mentioned in Tolkien's Legendarium.
It's thorough and illustrated by the botanist's son with wonderful wood-cut prints.
https://www.amazon.com/Flora-Middle-Ear ... ddle+earth
This is seriously going to inform both my flower garden and vegetable and herb gardens at the Dragons Wood Inn.
Our work here is done- a botanist has done an exhaustive review of all the plants mentioned in Tolkien's Legendarium.
It's thorough and illustrated by the botanist's son with wonderful wood-cut prints.
https://www.amazon.com/Flora-Middle-Ear ... ddle+earth
This is seriously going to inform both my flower garden and vegetable and herb gardens at the Dragons Wood Inn.
Vápnum sÃnum skala maðr velli á
feti ganga framar þvà at óvist er at vita
nær verðr á vegum úti geirs um þörf guma
Hávamál
feti ganga framar þvà at óvist er at vita
nær verðr á vegum úti geirs um þörf guma
Hávamál
- Kortoso
- Haeropada
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Re: All plants, animals, food, etc. mentioned in The Hobbit
That is the awesomeness.
There are no safe paths in this part of the world. Remember you are over the Edge of the Wild now, and in for all sorts of fun wherever you go.
- Elleth
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Re: All plants, animals, food, etc. mentioned in The Hobbit
Oh that is awesome - very cool!
Persona: Aerlinneth, Dúnedain of Amon Lendel c. TA 3010.
- Greg
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Re: All plants, animals, food, etc. mentioned in The Hobbit
THIS is awesome.Straelbora wrote: This is seriously going to inform both my flower garden and vegetable and herb gardens at the Dragons Wood Inn.
Now the sword shall come from under the cloak.
- SierraStrider
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Re: All plants, animals, food, etc. mentioned in The Hobbit
I was recently pondering what herbs and spices would be appropriate for an authentic kit, and after some semi-random keyword searches through the text of The Hobbit and LOTR, decided to spring for the book Flora of Middle-Earth, mentioned above by Straelbora.
This gave me a starting point—there’s a section on food-specific plants, but there were many other plants listed in the book that had (often tangential) culinary uses. I went through and searched for the plants mentioned in the text. The ones I was able to confirm are listed below (much of this is redundant, given Straelboara's previous research, but I thought I'd include everything to save cross-referencing):
Domesticated food crops:
Apples
Barley
Blackberries
Cabbage
Carrots
Cucumber (Inferred from “picklesâ€, though other things can be pickled)
Cherries
Chestnuts
Flax seed (inferred from flax)
Grapes
Hazelnuts
Hemp seed (inferred from hemp, itself a slight presumption given that 'hemp' can colloquially refer to any number of plant fibers for rope-making)
Mushrooms
Olives (Inferred from olive trees, only mentioned as growing wild in Ithillien, not necessarily cultivated.)
Plums
Pole Beans
Po – ta – toes
Raspberries
Strawberries
Sunflower Seeds (Inferred from sunflowers)
Turnips
Wheat (may not imply actual mundane wheat; mentioned in the context of "Wheat of the gods" in The Silmarillion)
Herbs and spices:
Bay leaves
Cardamom
Juniper berries (inferred from juniper trees)
Lavender
Marjoram
Parsley
Sage
Thyme
Wild Forage (sometimes cultivated):
Acorns (inferred from oak trees)
Beechnuts (inferred from beech trees)
Cress
Dandelions
Nettles
Pine nuts (Inferred from pine trees)
Seaweed
Sloe
Sorrel
Beverages:
Birch sap (inferred from birch trees)
Coffee
Tea
(see also: juniper, sloe, grapes, virtually anything else that ferments)
There were several plants mentioned in Flora of which I couldn't find mention in the text and which lacked the thorough citation of the previous plants; again, I'm only searching The Hobbit and LOTR, and may be missing things even there.
Blueberries
Hops (possibly inferred from ale?)
Oats (mentioned only in the gnomish lexicon, apparently)
Oranges
Peas
Pepper (as in peppercorns)
Absence of evidence may not be evidence of absence, except in a few cases; According to Flora, Tomatoes were mentioned in an earlier edition of The Hobbit, but in later revisions they were swapped for 'pickles'. It can be inferred that Tolkien didn't think that New World fruit was suitable for his emphatically old world. That leaves potatoes, sunflowers and tobacco as the only post-Columbian crops in Middle-earth, and given his intentional snubbing of tomatoes and cotton, it seems prudent to assume that these deliberate exceptions are the only ones. Sigh...there goes anything with capsaicin from my spice cabinet...
This gave me a starting point—there’s a section on food-specific plants, but there were many other plants listed in the book that had (often tangential) culinary uses. I went through and searched for the plants mentioned in the text. The ones I was able to confirm are listed below (much of this is redundant, given Straelboara's previous research, but I thought I'd include everything to save cross-referencing):
Domesticated food crops:
Apples
Barley
Blackberries
Cabbage
Carrots
Cucumber (Inferred from “picklesâ€, though other things can be pickled)
Cherries
Chestnuts
Flax seed (inferred from flax)
Grapes
Hazelnuts
Hemp seed (inferred from hemp, itself a slight presumption given that 'hemp' can colloquially refer to any number of plant fibers for rope-making)
Mushrooms
Olives (Inferred from olive trees, only mentioned as growing wild in Ithillien, not necessarily cultivated.)
Plums
Pole Beans
Po – ta – toes
Raspberries
Strawberries
Sunflower Seeds (Inferred from sunflowers)
Turnips
Wheat (may not imply actual mundane wheat; mentioned in the context of "Wheat of the gods" in The Silmarillion)
Herbs and spices:
Bay leaves
Cardamom
Juniper berries (inferred from juniper trees)
Lavender
Marjoram
Parsley
Sage
Thyme
Wild Forage (sometimes cultivated):
Acorns (inferred from oak trees)
Beechnuts (inferred from beech trees)
Cress
Dandelions
Nettles
Pine nuts (Inferred from pine trees)
Seaweed
Sloe
Sorrel
Beverages:
Birch sap (inferred from birch trees)
Coffee
Tea
(see also: juniper, sloe, grapes, virtually anything else that ferments)
There were several plants mentioned in Flora of which I couldn't find mention in the text and which lacked the thorough citation of the previous plants; again, I'm only searching The Hobbit and LOTR, and may be missing things even there.
Blueberries
Hops (possibly inferred from ale?)
Oats (mentioned only in the gnomish lexicon, apparently)
Oranges
Peas
Pepper (as in peppercorns)
Absence of evidence may not be evidence of absence, except in a few cases; According to Flora, Tomatoes were mentioned in an earlier edition of The Hobbit, but in later revisions they were swapped for 'pickles'. It can be inferred that Tolkien didn't think that New World fruit was suitable for his emphatically old world. That leaves potatoes, sunflowers and tobacco as the only post-Columbian crops in Middle-earth, and given his intentional snubbing of tomatoes and cotton, it seems prudent to assume that these deliberate exceptions are the only ones. Sigh...there goes anything with capsaicin from my spice cabinet...